We Raise Foundation Welcomes Three New Members to its Board of Directors
We Raise Foundation Welcomes Three New Members to its Board of Directors
Itasca, IL – We Raise Foundation is pleased to announce the addition of three new members to its board of directors, each for a three-year term, which started on January 1, 2026:
Mr. Timothy E. Balko, JD, Mishawaka, Ind.
Mr. Jonathan D. Schulz, St. Louis, Mo.
Mr. Brandon A. Wigley, JD, Milwaukee, Wis.
“We Raise is pleased to welcome three new members to our board of directors whose lives and leadership reflect a deep commitment to service, faith, and the flourishing of others,” said Paul Miles, President/CEO of We Raise Foundation. “Brandon, Jon, and Tim each bring distinct professional expertise and lived experience that will strengthen our ability to support nonprofit organizations and leaders doing transformative work in their communities. Their shared sense of purpose and servant leadership aligns closely with our calling to invest in people and ideas that help communities thrive. We are humbled and grateful to include them as partners in this important work.”
Mr. Timothy E. Balko, JD, is an Emeritus Teaching Professor of the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, where he taught undergraduate and MBA courses in business problem solving and strategic foresight. Since joining the faculty in 2012, Balko has helped develop and deliver courses that integrate practical applications of foresight with ethical and strategic decision-making, including the undergraduate course Foresight in Business and Society.
Prior to his current role, Balko coordinated Notre Dame’s Foresight Program and served as a research assistant, supporting the integration of foresight methodologies across the program. His professional experience also includes leadership in nonprofit and legal settings, including serving as Executive Director of the Center for Community Justice in Elkhart, Ind., where he led community-based corrections programs grounded in restorative justice principles, and coordinating foreclosure prevention initiatives with Indiana Legal Services.
Balko’s legal career was in civil litigation representing clients in personal injury, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation matters, and has served as a public hearing officer for the South Bend Human Rights Commission. He holds a Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law and a Bachelor of Social Work from Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind., and is a member of multiple professional associations.
Mr. Jonathan D. Schultz serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Concordia Publishing House (CPH), St. Louis, Mo., where he provides strategic oversight for all aspects of the organization’s operations and long-term direction. His leadership is grounded in a strong background in corporate governance, risk management, and organizational strategy.
Prior to his current role, Schultz served as Vice President and Corporate Counsel for CPH, overseeing legal compliance, contract negotiation, human resources, and contracts, rights, and permissions. He also played a key role in advancing technology initiatives and emerging product development. In addition to his executive leadership at CPH, Schultz has served on denominational and nonprofit boards, led initiatives to expand access to faith-based educational resources, and been recognized for his contributions to publishing and church leadership.
Schultz holds a Bachelor of Arts from Concordia University, River Forest, Ill., and a Juris Doctor from Loyola University of Chicago.
Mr. Brandon A. Wigley, JD, currently serves as Director of the Bader Leadership Institute, drawing on a unique and diverse background that includes experience as a foundation program officer, a former Lutheran minister, a law enforcement professional, and a trial attorney. His career reflects a strong commitment to leadership development, justice, and service to the community.
An alumnus of the African American Leadership Alliance of Milwaukee, Wigley also actively contributes his leadership on boards supporting Christian education for K–12 students. His broad perspective and lived experience closely align with Bader Philanthropies’ mission to help people and honor the legacy of its founders through thoughtful grantmaking, community engagement, and leadership development.
Wigley holds a bachelor’s degree from Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., a Master of Divinity from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, Wis., and a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, Wis.
In other We Raise board news, Mr. Bruce Laning, Milwaukee, Wis., was elected as chair, Rev. Dr. Gerald Mansholt, St. Louis, Mo., was re-elected as vice chair, and Ms. Marcella Brown, Cleveland, Ohio, was elected as secretary.
About We Raise Foundation
Motivated by the belief that freedom is grace in action (Galatians 5:1a), We Raise Foundation funds innovative ideas and leaders that help individuals and communities thrive. We have a preference for funding solutions within the areas of education, workforce development, and reentry, and employ a unique approach to our investing by coupling program funding with a variety of robust value-added services that empower our grantees to grow their solutions. As a result of these value-added services, every $1 that donors invest through We Raise multiplies into more than double the benefit to the organizations we support. To learn more, please visit weraise.org. You can also find We Raise on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram.
